BAD COUNTRY

US, 2014, 95 minutes,. Colour.
Matt Dillon, Willem Dafoe, Neal Mc Donough, Amy Smart, Chris Marquette, Don Yesso, Christopher Denham, Frederick Weller, Bill Duke.
Directed by Chris Brinker.

Bad Country is set in the 1980s, in Louisiana, more in Baton Rouge than in New Orleans. It is a crime drama focusing on a brutal organisation, neo-Nazi in tone, presided over by a ruthless leader who uses hired killers to get rid of enemies as well as a respectable lawyer to represent him at court. The boss is played by Tom Berenger who does not appear a great deal in the film but whose face is seen in close-up at the very end of the film.

The initial focus is on Bud Carter, working undercover, unmasking a jewel-fencing racket and who himself is unmasked when the people he is dealing with have the television on and he appears in a court scene, which leads to a raid, imprisonment of the criminals and their interrogation. Bud is not scrupulous in applying torture to get some answers. He is played with intensity by Willem Dafoe.

Investigations lead to identification of one of the gangsters killers, Jesse, played by Matt Dillon, who is taken in and interrogated as well and is persuaded to become an informant. He is married, with a young child being born, and his wife and the baby are taken into witness protection. When they are killed, he goes rogue to get his own vengeance.

Washington gets involved, sending down one of its primary representatives, Bill Duke, who finds that he and Bud Carter are on the gangster’s hit list. Bud’s immediate superior, played by Don Yesso, supports him and his group of law enforcers. A young FBI agent is also sent down but he tends to get in the way.

The film builds up to a climax, the gangster leader going to a hotel, Jesse moving in to confront him, Carter relying on information from the interrogation of the lawyer who himself wants protection, has his group on alert outside the hotel, eventually doing a raid and shootout with deaths on both sides.

With its strong cast and atmosphere, this crime film has quite a bit going for it.

1. Crime? Investigation? Baton Rouge, Louisiana, the 1980s? True story?

2. The title, the city of Baton Rouge, a bad city? Apartments, police, crime scenes, homes, prisons, the mansion, hotel?

3. Action, stunt work, explicit violence, the law and justice, vengeance?

4. Neo-Nazi? groups, the boss, his henchmen, his lawyer? The assassins and assassinations? His list?

5. Bud Carter, Willem Dafoe, age, experience, the background of his father, his father’s will and mine, his cancer, wanting his son to inherit, the notice in the paper? Bud’s refusal? His work as a loner, with the squad, the links with his men? With the boss? Dedication?

6. The deal, the diamonds, the fence, his brother, the television, information and seeing Bud’s image? The brother seeing it? The police, the raid, the shootings? Interrogation of the 2 men, Bud and torture, wanting a name? Jesse and his brother?

7. Jesse, his role as an assassin, the orders of the boss? His brother, the arrest, interrogation, prison, his death? Jesse and the birth of the child? His discussions with the boss? Bud, the attack, Jesse being caught, interrogation, decision to give information, motives? Farewell to his wife and child, protection?

8. The authorities from Washington DC, from the Attorney General’s office, the meetings, the local police, the man in charge? Bud and his presence? Fitch, Age, young, inexperienced, the tension with Bud? Information from Jesse, the list, the names, DC authorising the resources?

9. The boss, his role, deals, wealth, murders, ideology? Discussions with his lawyer, advice?

10. Jesse, the help, the raids, the shootouts? Jesse being wounded in hand, in hospital? The visualising of the death of his wife and child? Bud telling him in hospital? His escape through the window? Wanting revenge?

11. Bud, the toll of the work, tough, his group, the building up to the surveillance of the hotel, his taking responsibility? Communicating with the officer in charge?

12. The confrontation with the lawyer, his giving himself up, wanting protection? The phone call and the reassurance that all was well?

13. Stakeout, Bud watching? The man sitting in the cafe? The shooters? The boss and his arrival, his men, the squad waiting? The boss and the girls, sex in his room?

14. Jesse, arrival, the shooting, searching for the boss, the confrontation, the fight with knives, Jesse dying?

15. The police, the attack, the deaths on both sides?

16. DC pleased, the success of the operation? Bud confronting the boss, close-up of the face of the boss?